Grahamstown.
Thursday, 26 March
The news of the attempted assassination of Prince Alfred arrives at the Thames via the Enterprise. There is a universal feeling of horror and
angry curses against the assassin are uttered. There are also exclamations of deep sympathy for the Prince, and fervent hopes that the report may prove unfounded.
Robert Graham has leased from the Thames Maori a
large tract of valuable land at Waiotahi, which they request to be
called Grahamstown. This has been a
matter of considerable delicacy and difficulty as the land was owned by so many
different tribes and families. Earlier this year the owners of the reserve between Tookey’s
Flat and Shortland asked Mr Mackay to arrange a survey of it so as to lease
it for town allotments. Mackay took the
preliminary steps and has now sanctioned the lease to Robert Graham.
There is a report at the Thames that alluvial gold has been
found at a place called Fern Flat, which is a distance of seven to nine miles
back from the mouth of the Waiotahi, and over the second range. It comprises something less than 100 acres
and a large number of diggers now make their way there. Some gold is brought in by one of the party, but he seems very reticent about it. There is
doubt about the find, one newspaper
correspondent writing “I cannot positively vouch for the truth of the report.”
Spey for Tapu Creek with 3,600 ft timber, 18 sheep,
13 bags potatoes, two cases biscuit, four cases spirits, three kegs spirits,
five cases beer, one case gin, two cases sundries, five packages sundries, four
packages soda water, 3,000 shingles, six bags flour, one parcel tobacco.
The little steamer Clyde which has been for several days
on the flats at Shortland arrives in Auckland harbour this evening bringing
1200 ozs gold and 40 passengers.
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| DSC 26 March, 1868 |
Friday, 27 March
Now that Robert Graham’s title to the larger portion of the
flat between the Karaka and Waiotahi Creeks is confirmed the town of Shortland is being extended in that
direction and it is thought soon Pollen Street will rival Auckland’s Queen
Street in length if not in grandeur. It
will be continued in a straight line until it reaches the base of the range at
the Waiotahi, then at an angle of about 30 degrees to the creek. Other streets are also being laid out, and Mr
Davy, surveyor, is busily employed. Mr Graham has a number of men working on buildings, fencing, draining, ditching, and ploughing. Mr Mackay has also made application for
permission to form a tramway between Shortland Town and Grahamstown, also a
wharf at each end of the townships which will be a great convenience to the
inhabitants of the goldfield.
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| DSC 27 March, 1868 |
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| NZH 27 March, 1868 |
Saturday, 28 March
About 100 Maori now meet at Mr Mackay’s residence and after
a korero of about four hours duration, Mr Mackay states that, as the
land appears to him to be satisfactorily leased to Mr Graham, he wishes only
to retain to himself the right of laying the streets through the land. Mr Mackay also says that he sees no
difficulty in its easily passing through the Native Land Court and suggests a
plan whereby the surveys of the several lots might be arranged.
10am
A schooner rigged paddle wheel steamer, built expressly for
the Thames trade, is launched from the ship building yards in Custom-house-street
West, Auckland, this morning. Rapid
building progress has been made on this large and handsome steamer. Now her stocks are knocked asunder and the
vessel is launched into the water with complete success, amidst the cheers of
spectators. As she leaves the stocks and
slowly glides into the waters of the Waitemata she is named the Duke of
Edinburgh by Miss Isabella, eldest daughter of the ship builder Mr
Duthie. The material used in her
construction is some of the very best including kauri, cedar and
pohutakawa. Her unusually light draught
of water makes her eminently suitable for the Thames trade and she has been adapted to creek service at Shortland Town.
Trial borings for a wharf at the Waiotahi begin - at 30 ft the bottom is not reached. This
looks promising for shipping accommodation in Tookey Town. The claim holders on the Waiotahi now feel a great need for
a road up that creek and hold a meeting today at the Break O Day claim regarding the construction of a good and durable
roadway.
It starts pouring rain in buckets-full turning the streets
of the Thames to slush again.
At Tapu there is a decided improvement in the state of
affairs of both mining and business. The
creek has assumed an air of importance which surprises even the oldest
inhabitant. Speculation in shares has
commenced in earnest. The quantity of
quartz now on the ground waiting for crushing is something enormous. There have been several rushes lately and the
diggers appear most contented – all in good spirits, and expecting to make a
'pile'. The various stores at the creek
are doing well with new stores still going up. The great cry however is machinery, if proper
machinery was on the ground Tapu would take its stand as the best goldfield in
the Province of Auckland. Speculation
in shares has commenced in earnest at Tapu Creek – the result of the Fern Flat
rush.
Avon to the Thames with 1 portable engine and crushing machine, 6 barrels beer, 2 tanks, 1 ton flour, 500
bricks, 1 pair bellows, 1 anvil, 20 packages.
For the information of members of the Hebrew faith resident
at the Thames or in the country districts, Passover holidays commence on Monday evening
April 6 and end on Tuesday evening April 14.
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| Thames Gold Fields. Study, Great Fern Trees, with Whare Auckland Museum - Mundy, Daniel Louis, 1826-1881, photographer,1867-1869,PH-ALB-86 |
Sunday, 29 March
Sundown
It starts raining and gathers in such intensity that men are
asking if they ever saw heavier rain in their lives. Some have, but only in the tropics. With the rain comes half a hurricane of wind
from the east north east. ‘Red Bill’, real name William Mathers, a man well-known at
the Thames for the past few months and
one of Tom Long’s party at Tapu Creek, vanishes into the stormy
evening.
The fury of the storm.
Monday, 30 March
It has poured down and blown all night and great damage has been
done along the Karaka, Waiotahi and Moanataiari flats and
also in the lower workings of all the creeks.
All who attempt to reach the flats this morning have to return, it being
quite impossible to cross the Karaka creek, owing to both the volume of water
coming down and the strength of the current.
Gibbons waterwheel is damaged, another waterwheel has been
washed away, the Half Moon claim loses £2,000 worth of quartz, Goodall loses 30
tons of coal, the Parnell Claim loses all their stacked quartz, and the Thames Quartz Crushing Company is in
great danger but so far no damage has been done. The flood has done substantial harm to many
of the claims on several creeks.
The streets are almost impassable, being all but knee deep
in mud. A woman with an eleven day old infant in her arms has been exposed since 12 last night to the fury of the storm.
Mr Giles, butcher of Pollen Street, drives his horse and cart towards the flat, but in attempting to cross the Karaka stream the current is so strong it upsets the cart with its contents– Mr Giles and a half a side of beef. Mr Giles is with difficulty rescued; the side of beef is washed out to sea. His horse and cart are supposed carried out to sea also.
Numbers of men were waiting until this morning to make a
start for the new ground at Fern Tree Flat but the state of the weather makes this out of the question.
Regardless of the weather the korero continues at Parawai
between the Maori and Mr Mackay about lands leased. Some hundreds of men are
present. A notice has been issued that
leases of this land granted by the Maori will not be recognised by the
government. Now it is asked by those who
have taken leases in what position they stand, and if the leases are illegal,
who will recoup the money paid to the Maori as purchase or rental. There are 14 canoe and whaleboat loads of
Maori camped on the Eyre Street beach awaiting the decision. About 2,000 loaves of bread are consumed.
1.30pm
The Maori Chief drags her anchor a few yards down the
Kauaeranga Creek and the cutter Spray also drags her anchor and goes on to the mud
flat. Fortunately they are not damaged. The Kauaeranga Creek is running at a rate of
ten knots. The Midge was to have left at 11 this morning but postpones
her sailing until 9 tonight.
8pm
The intrepid NZ Herald correspondent tries to get up as far
as the Waiotahi, but is unable to do so.
In the Karaka Creek he sees the dead carcass of Mr Giles’ horse, putting
paid to the story of it being swept out to sea.
This is the only serious casualty he hears of.
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| DSC 30 March, 1867 |
Tuesday, 31 March
There is anger at the extent of the storm damage - those who
have been at the Thames from the time of the arrival of the first cargo last
winter have been predicting this all summer. Mr Mackay has had streets lined out during the last few months and it
was expected that some measures would be adopted to metal Pollen and Grey
Streets, if not other streets in the town.
Nothing has, however, been done, Whether the work to be done belongs to the General
Government or the Provincial Government or the Maori of the Thames is unclear.
The Superintendent of Auckland sends Mr King, the Relieving Officer, to the Thames to
communicate with the Digger’s Hospital committee who have requested assistance from the Provincial Government for bedding and other hospital appliances. Father Nivard (secretary) and Charles F
Mitchell (vice president) have been to Auckland to see the Superintendent and
impress upon him the absolute necessity of some grant in aid towards the construction of a suitable building. They
met with cordial good wishes, but the deputation is now assured that the
Provincial Government has no money in hand, nor is it likely to have any
to assist either building or endowing a hospital at the Thames.
Spey for Tapu Creek with1 ½ tons flour, 1 ton potatoes, 400 ft
timber, 4 hhds beer, 1 cask beer, 2 casks wine, 2 kegs brandy, 5 boxes candles,
1 chest tea, 5 casks beef, 4 packages ironmongery, 20 packages merchandise.
Catherine for the Thames with 700 bricks, 60 bushels lime.
Wahapu for the Thames with 700 bricks, 2 tons groceries.
Clyde for the Thames with 300 ft timber, 1 anvil, 1 pair
blacksmith's bellows and tools, 10 cases stout, 12 gunnies sugar, 1 ton iron.
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| DSC 31 March, 1868 |
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| NZH 31 March 1868 |
Wednesday, 1 April
The Presbyterians, who muster very strong at the Thames, hold a meeting this evening and accept the tender of Mr Heron, for the erection of a Kirk, which is to be finished within one month from a date not specified.
The Presbyterians, who muster very strong at the Thames, hold a meeting this evening and accept the tender of Mr Heron, for the erection of a Kirk, which is to be finished within one month from a date not specified.
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| NZH 1 April, 1868 |
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Prince Alfred Ernest Albert, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Kent and Earl of Ulster and second son of Queen Victoria, was on a world tour on the steam frigate HMS Galatea. The bullet, on striking the prince's back, glanced off his ribs, inflicting only a slight wound. The prince was nursed by the newly arrived Lady Superintendent of Sydney Hospital.
Fern Flat or Fern Tree Flat would come to be known as Punga Flat.
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Sources
Papers Past
Hauraki Report Volume 1
The dictionary of Sydney - https://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/assassination_attempt_on_prince_alfred_1868
© Meghan Hawkes / First year on the Thames Goldfield 2017 - 2018
© Meghan Hawkes / First year on the Thames Goldfield 2017 - 2018
Please credit Meghan Hawkes/ First year on the Thames Goldfield 2017 - 2018 when re-using information from this blog.
